WRITER LINKS

I have just been interviewed by a fellow fantasy author, Mayra Calvani, who writes dark (think paranormal and vampires) fantasy and hosts this beautiful website . You can read her incisive questions and my well-considered answers here .

There's no simple answer to the question, 'Where do your ideas come from?' But there are simple, and I hope, useful, answers to the following questions that I was asked in an interview with Nancy Arant Williams. For the full updated interview, click here

Do you have any favorite writing resources or books you would encourage new writers to read?

Renni Browne and Dave King's 'Self-Editing for Fiction Writers' is essential reading for any aspiring fiction author. Also, my copies of 'Beginnings, Middles and Ends' by Nancy Kress and 'Description' by Monica Wood (both of the series 'Elements of Fiction Writing' by Writers' Digest Books) are amazingly and rightfully dog-eared.

"Self-Editing for Fiction Writers"

"Description"

"Beginnings, Middles, and Ends"

What would you say to beginning writers to encourage them?

I would say, Write what you want to read, especially if it's not available out there. Then at least you'll have one satisfied reader. Also, get that first draft out, no matter how unsatisfactory it might seem at first. The important thing is to tell the story. The technical stuff can be learnt as you re-write, and believe me, there'll be plenty of that. But that first draft has to flow from your heart.